


Rock Your World

by PhazonFire



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Bad Puns, Borderline crackfic, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F, I have no idea why the hell I'm writing this I'm gonna be honest, Romantic Comedy, You know in school when they give you that project where you have to raise an egg, eternal suffering for Reimu, just general silliness, magical lesbians, pet rocks, tags added with each chapter, that but worse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28614780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhazonFire/pseuds/PhazonFire
Summary: When Tenshi and the kappas go in on a joint business venture, Gensokyo gets wrapped up in the fever of a new trend: pet rocks. Marisa and Reimu, the latter unwillingly, embark on an unconventional journey into motherhood.
Relationships: Hakurei Reimu/Kirisame Marisa
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47





	1. A Rocky Start

**Author's Note:**

> I really can just write anything I want on the internet I can just put words together and have them function

The shrewd business sense of the kappas was something to be both admired and feared, with their appetite for a quick buck and their penchant for innovation. With a keen eye to see opportunity from a mile away, it came as no surprise that Nitori, in all her genius, had been wide open to a collaboration to shake the heavens. Literally.

“It’s a rock,” she droned, thoroughly unimpressed.

“Yes, it is! It’s a rock!” Tenshi exclaimed excitedly, thrusting the lumpy stone out in front of her. “I made it myself.”

“So let me see if I understand this,” Nitori interrupted with a wave of her hand, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You came all the way from Heaven to show me a _rock_?”

She had to give Tenshi credit—celestial or not, Nitori was a busy kappa, with much to do each and every day. Asking her for a one-on-one meeting was a bold move to begin with, and here she had the guts to give her a simple rock to show for it.

“Now, now,” Tenshi urged, throwing her arm around the kappa’s shoulder. “We have an opportunity here. Iku tells me that the human village has a great interest in all things novelty. They’ll surely eat up anything interesting you put in front of them, and for a pretty penny, too.”

Nitori raised an eyebrow. “You have my attention.”

“She’s told me about a human tradition from the outside world. Humans incapable of keeping domesticated animals efficiently have occasionally turned to the inanimate, the undemanding alternatives that require little to no effort to uphold,” Tenshi explained with a scheming sparkle in her eyes.

“And your solution is...a rock.”

“Not just _any_ rock!” she cried. “The pet rock phenomenon is already a hit, but rocks from the heavens? Surely a blessing that each and every human will be scrambling to get their hands on!”

Nitori nodded slowly. “Interesting. But what do you get out of this?”

“Why, of course, I would receive credit for starting the trend. I’ll be at the forefront of the movement, and each rock, blessed by the heavens, will surely increase the respect of the humans towards the celestials. Simply tell them each rock has a...hidden power, or something.”

“A blessing. Maybe a wish-granting rock?” Nitori offered.

Tenshi shrugged. “I mean, perhaps a rock from the heavens is good enough. Admittedly, I’m not versed in human culture.”

“Leave that part to me. I think this could be the start of a lucrative relationship,” Nitori assured with a grin.

Tenshi returned her devilish grin with one of her own. “Let’s rock.”

—-

Reimu, similar to Nitori, did not have time for messing around and indulging in the whims of youkai. Actually, she didn’t have much of the time—or effort—for almost anything. The simple exertion involved with cleaning up the messes of others, stacked on top of her daily duties as a shrine maiden, was too much for her to care about. In particular, indulging one specific pain in her side took the equivalent of one month’s energy, always leaving her with a substantial headache afterwards.

“It’s a rock.”

“It very much _is_ a rock, astute observation as usual,” Marisa spoke proudly, cradling the little rock delicately between her palms. “The kappas say these rocks come straight from the heavens, loaded with blessings, so long as you care for them with fervor and love.”

“The kappa will say literally anything to make a quick buck. This has “scam” written all over it,” Reimu growled.

“But it’s _fuuuun,_ ” Marisa whined. “I didn’t exactly lose out on any money getting one.”

Reimu scowled at her. She knew exactly what that meant.

“Be honest. Whose rock is that?”

Marisa winked. “Alice’s.”

“She’s going to kill you.”

“She has to catch me, first. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

Reimu rubbed her temples. “Please tell me you did not come all the way down here with a stolen rock just for safe harbor from Alice.”

“Of course not, my dear,” Marisa teased, slinging her arm around Reimu’s shoulders. “I’ve always considered myself independent, but the word on the street is that these rocks are best cared for by a loving mother and father. Distribution of equal parts feminine and masculine energy mean more balanced blessings.”

Reimu’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Yes.”

“Marisa, _no._ ”

“Marisa, _yes,_ ” she teased, poking Reimu’s cheek.

“It’s a _rock._ It’s quite literally a _rock._ ”

“And it’s a rock that needs two loving parents to grow up and be a healthy adult boulder.”

“Rocks don’t grow,” Reimu hissed.

“Not with that attitude, they don’t. Now come on, help me clear out a little space for it.”

Reimu bristled as Marisa ambled around her living quarters, inspecting each and every table and shelf thoroughly as she sought out a home for her igneous child. “You can’t keep the rock here, we’re not raising it, and I’m not masculine!”

“Of course I don’t think you’re masculine, love. You’re the most beautiful woman in Gensokyo, of course,” Marisa said with another wink.

Reimu blushed, but struggled to maintain her anger in the face of Marisa’s usual charm. “How many times have you said that to Alice and Patchouli whenever you want something?”

“Not nearly as many times as I’ve said it to you. You’re my one and only, honey,” she flirted.

Reimu rolled her eyes, her ears hot. Every time Marisa wanted something, she knew exactly what to say to get Reimu’s heart racing. Reimu could only watch helplessly as Marisa got her way once again, her mind lingering a bit too long on being called “honey”.

“Found a spot,” Marisa declared proudly, sweeping dust off the top of an empty corner table before proudly mounting the rock atop it. “This is its new home.”

Reimu stifled a chuckle. “It’s pitiful.”

Marisa gasped dramatically, one hand over her heart. “How dare you besmirch the home of our new son.”

“It’s a boy rock?”

Marisa scratched her head. “To be fair, we’re a little lacking in guys in Gensokyo. Gotta balance things out a bit.”

Reimu rolled her eyes. “Can we at least make the table a bit less...bland?”

Marisa stepped back, brushing her hands off against her apron, dust splattering the sides of her dress in streaks of gray. “What do you have in mind?”

Reimu thought hard for a moment before rummaging around in a drawer under a separate nightstand. Marisa raised an eyebrow at the commotion, watching as Reimu tossed bits and pieces of useless junk out and onto the floor—used half-rolls of tape, frayed rope, crumpled talismans, the occasional sock, and even empty sake bottles that she could probably attribute to a surprise visit from Suika.

“Here,” Reimu said triumphantly, her arms loaded with miscellaneous junk as she turned back around.

“You ought to clean up around here once in a while.”

Reimu frowned. “The dirtier it is, the less visitors will want to come.”

“Isn’t that a bad thing?”

“It’s a good thing. A _very_ good thing,” she argued, dumping the pile of junk unceremoniously on the table besides their new little rock.

Marisa picked through the pile slowly, inspecting each item in turn. Most notably, her eyes fell upon the tiny wooden offering shrine, just barely big enough to fit their rock if they tried. Adorned with cute prayer ropes and ornate wooden carvings meant to appease the gods, it was surprisingly elegant for something that had been stuffed in a drawer for who knows how long. Aside from the shrine sat miniature offering plates and bowls--all the perfect size for a doll, if they had one. There was even a silk maroon handkerchief, frayed at the edges but still beautiful and elegant.

“You been playing with dolls or something?” Marisa teased.

Reimu blushed, averting her eyes. “They were for the inchling. She spent some time here after the tsukumogami incident before she finally left me alone. Gave her a little spot to stay, provided she left me alone.”

Marisa clasped her hands together in glee. “D’aww, my Reimu is so helpful!”

Reimu stamped her foot, her face dusted red. “Shut it. Are you gonna help me with this stupid rock, or not?”

“Alright, _alriiiight,_ I’ll take the hint,” Marisa said with a wave of her hand teasingly.

With some adjusting and dusting, the two girls made quick work of tidying up the mini-shrine, adjusting its decorative ropes back into place and inspecting it for any major signs of damage. Marisa folded the silk handkerchief into a little pile as small as she could, stuffing it into the center of the shrine. At last, with great glee, she set their new rock down onto the handkerchief gently, adjusting it carefully for maximum comfort.

“Gotta make sure he’s in a comfy spot,” she explained as she shifted the rock around.

Reimu snorted. “It’s a rock. It can’t feel comfort.”

“It can feel love,” Marisa shot back with a grin. “The love of a wonderful mother and father making it feel right at home.”

Reimu raised an eyebrow. “That would make you the father, then?”

“I will be a fantastic father. And you’d make a great mother, you know!”

Reimu blushed at the implications, and desperately pushed aside the oncoming thoughts of raising children with Marisa. “So, now what? Are we done?”

Marisa shook her head. “Not at all. Now we’ve got to feed it,” she said, plucking one of the tiny offering plates between two fingers.

“It’s a rock. It doesn’t need to eat. I’m positive that you know this already.”

Marisa tapped the plate with one fingernail. “Consider it an offering to our new son, a blessing for longevity and joy.”

Reimu crossed her arms. “Fine. What do rocks even eat?”

Marisa put her hand on her chin, deep in thought. “Well...I guess something rock-themed? Earthy?”

Reimu closed her eyes, thinking deeply alongside the magician. “What the hell kind of food is rock-themed?”

Marisa snapped her fingers, and Reimu briefly pictured the comical idea of a lightbulb appearing above her head. “I’ve got it! How about potatoes?”

“Potatoes,” Reimu deadpanned.

“Potatoes are one of the closest vegetables you can get to the earth. They’re probably neighbors with rocks. The humans even call them the apples of the earth.”

Reimu scoffed. “We’re humans, Marisa. We don’t call them that. And stop talking like a youkai!”

Marisa pouted. “Someone, somewhere, has to call them that.”

Reimu threw her hands up, exasperated. “Fine, potatoes! Why not? Anything else?”

Marisa shrugged. “I dunno, can you think of anything?”

Reimu thought genuinely, working hard to distance herself from Marisa’s antics. If she thought of the rock as more of a tiny god ready to be worshipped, things didn’t feel quite as silly. Marisa had said that the rocks came from Heaven, supposedly—it wasn’t too much of a stretch that a god could take up residence in a rock. Even if animism wasn’t her forte, it would reflect poorly on a shrine maiden to disrespect a holy artifact, rock or not.

“How about sake?” she offered finally. “If some rocks are born near volcanoes, it might be beneficial to give it something fiery. Sake is always a good choice for an offering.”

Marisa grinned ear-to-ear. “That’s the spirit. My Reimu is chock-full of good ideas.”

Reimu’s face flushed a bit at the praise. She quickly turned on her heel, already halfway towards the kitchen—anything to keep Marisa from seeing her blush. “Anything else?” she called over her shoulder.

“Potatoes and sake sound good. Unless you have rock candy?”

“Where the hell would I get rock candy in Gensokyo?” she hissed.

“We could check the human village!” Marisa called back.

Reimu began the elaborate process of rummaging through the kitchen cabinets, resisting the urge to look for medicine for a headache. “We’ll make due with what we have. I’m not going outside right now.”

Distantly, she could hear Marisa whine. “You’re no fun.”

—

Fully adorned, dusted, and complete with fresh offerings of sake and tiny sliced potatoes, the small rock looked right at home, if not terrifically spoiled. Marisa put her hands on her hips, a brilliant grin flying to her lips yet again.

“We’ve outdone ourselves! I’m sure our rock will grow up to be the best in Gensokyo.”

Reimu sighed, but her energy to argue was quickly running out. “Once again, it’s a rock. It doesn’t grow.”

“That reminds me,” Marisa interrupted, seemingly ignoring her snarky comments. “We didn’t give it a name yet.”

Reimu pinched the bridge of her nose again. “For the last time, it. Is. A. _Rock,”_ she punctuated. “It definitely does not need a name.”

“Marisa Jr.”

“I thought it was a boy rock.”

“It can be a boy name!” Marisa argued with a pout.

“We’re not naming it Marisa Jr.”

“Rocky?”

“I’ll kill you.”

“Rockington.”

“I’ll kill you twice over.”

“Reimu Jr.?”

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Mima?”

Reimu bristled. “Not funny.”

“Why don’t you think of a name, then?” Marisa offered, grinning devilishly, eager to see Reimu step up to the challenge.

Reimu crossed her arms, closing her eyes as she contemplated again. She briefly considered something encompassing small pebbles, but came to the realization that Koishi Komeiji down in Hell had a monopoly on that name. She contemplated something more spiritual, but risked incurring the anger of an actual god if she chose a deity-like name, such as Ama-no-Iwa. She scrunched her eyes shut, thinking hard, until she finally settled on something simple.

“Fuji.”

“Fuji?” Marisa echoed.

“Mt. Fuji in the outside world is a prominent volcano with destructive power. Since igneous rocks are generated by volcanoes, and since the rock came from heaven, it ought to have a powerful name. Fuji is a name that connects it to its roots while simultaneously encompassing great power.”

Marisa beamed proudly. “That’s my girl.”

Reimu was blushing an awful lot today.


	2. Rock Around the Clock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reimu finds herself in the middle of Gensokyo rock madness, with a few special visitors to compound her crisis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little fluff never hurt nobody

“Bunbunmaru News, hot off the presses!” an annoyingly-loud voice called from outside, aggravating Reimu as she stamped to the shrine door.

Sliding the door open, she immediately contemplated slamming it shut again instead.

“You again. What is it now?” she groaned.

A particularly-chipper tengu saluted dramatically. “This week’s issue of Bunbunmaru News is a doozy, with a focus on the heavenly rock trend taking Gensokyo by storm! Have a look,” she insisted, pressing a newspaper forcefully into Reimu’s arms.

Reimu scowled. “Alright, Alright, I’ll read it! Now get off my property. It’s too early for this nonsense.”

“It’s 1:30 in the afternoon,” Marisa called distantly from inside. Reimu’s eyes narrowed—it seemed like Marisa’s hearing was extra sharp if it was something she was actually interested in hearing.

Aya stuck her tongue out teasingly. Reimu had had enough, and slammed the door shut to the annoying sound of giggling outside.

“Who was that?” Marisa called, crawling out from under the kotatsu in Reimu’s living room.

“The tengu. What else is new?” she moaned, unceremoniously tossing the bundled newspaper onto the floor in front of Marisa’s arms.

Marisa stretched forward just enough to grab the paper without actually leaving the kotatsu. Reimu somewhat admired her commitment to laziness.

“Heavenly Rocks Rock Gensokyo,” she read.

Reimu frowned. “Bad title.”

“Listen to this,” Marisa continued. “There’s a whole gallery section of the rocks from every household in Gensokyo. Looks like they’re all raising theirs differently. Some of them are kinda cute.”

Reimu dropped onto the floor, pushing Marisa aside enough to crawl under the kotatsu next to her, their bodies squished tightly together like sardines. “Let me see.”

“Suit yourself,” Marisa said nonchalantly, passing the paper to Reimu. “Guess it’s time to be the big spoon.”

Reimu flushed as Marisa wrapped her arms around her waist, burying her face in her auburn hair. “Don’t be weird.”

Marisa chuckled, even with a mouthful of hair and bow. “You love it,” she teased, her voice significantly muffled as she drowned.

Reimu forced herself to concentrate on the paper, ignoring how much she _did_ love it.

“The kappas and Tenshi go for a ground-breaking collaboration as blessed rocks from the heavens touch the earth,” she read aloud. “Now on sale for a limited time, these rocks are practically flying off the shelves as a simple alternative to an animal companion. These simple rocks are an excellent and low-effort addition to any home—rumor has it that devotion to their care is rewarded with blessings to their owner’s lives. To get your own heavenly rock, contact the kappas at Youkai Mountain before they’re sold out for good.”

“There’s a gallery underneath it,” Marisa urged, reaching a pointed finger around to Reimu’s front, her face still buried in hair.

Reimu’s eyes flickered down the page. Sure enough, a well-organized set of photos with basic captions adorned the cover, with brief testimonies from each interviewee. In one corner, the residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion had provided a cute, shady abode for their rock, nestled into a satin handkerchief (granted, much more elegant than Reimu’s), surrounded by freshly picked flowers of all kinds straight from their garden. Someone had left a tiny offering bowl full of water—sugar water, according to the caption—and an orange slice. Reimu guessed she wasn’t the only one with the idea to provide an offering, but still felt annoyed at the idea of Sakuya outdoing her decorating skills.

Another picture showed Moriya Shrine, which had taken an approach so similar that Reimu had to suppress her aggravation. Just like the one in the living room, someone had painstakingly decorated a wooden shrine, although significantly larger in structure and much more pristine. A prayer rope snugly wrapped around the rock itself, much like the ones she expected to see at a place of worship (not that she had any). “Moriya Shrine” was carved with splendid sweeping letters across the top of the shrine itself, and the rock sat surrounded by, yet again, offerings, this time of berries, more water (fresh from the waterfall, apparently), and even a newly-shedded snakeskin, all in one piece--probably Sanae’s idea. The idea of her losing to the Moriya Shrine did not sit well with her.

Reimu skipped over the abundant decor and luxury provided to the rocks by those in Hakugyokurou, Eientei, and Myouren Temple—she didn’t even want to know, judging by the extravagant displays that far outplayed her own. Her eyes scanned the page for anything more pitiful than her own modest setup.

To her delight, there were a choice few that seemed to be significantly more humble. Those in Hell had chosen, simply, to stack their rock atop a much larger rock, surrounded by a circle of additional larger rocks. Each rock, including the tiny one, was wrapped in prayer ropes as well, but that was all. Reimu smirked. Simple but efficient, and it seemed like the rock had plenty of company.

The fairies had put aside their differences and banded together, crudely decorating their shared rock with paint and glitter, displayed proudly on a pile of crumpled leaves. Cirno seemed to think highly of their creation in the caption, citing the intent to raise the strongest rock in Gensokyo. Reimu stifled a laugh.

The paper had even gone as far as to interview the occult freak— _of course she would flock to a Heaven rock,_ Reimu thought to herself. Sumireko’s display was extremely overboard, her rock surrounded by crystals and tarot cards, strange paper runes scattered around its general vicinity. Of course, Sumireko had turned the phone towards her during the photo, offering a victory pose with two fingers proudly off to the side, still miraculously managing to keep the rock front and center.

Reimu scoffed. At least there were a few people she’d outdone.

“Who do you think has the nicest setup?” Marisa asked, still muffled and refusing to raise her face from Reimu’s hair.

“Us, obviously. It has heart. Doesn’t need any bells and whistles,” she argued defensively.

Marisa began to pet her hair, and she could gradually feel her aggravation deflate—even if she didn’t want it to. “Because our rock is raised with _loooove,”_ Marisa teased.

Reimu rolled over to face her directly, the newspaper held tightly to her chest. “Listen, you, I’ve got half a mind to—“

Reimu’s sentence abruptly dissipated on her lips, replaced with another pair of lips instead. Her heart pounded and her mind melted, and her eyes fluttered shut as she indulged in Marisa. To her dismay, Marisa pulled away far too soon, replacing their kiss with just a knowing wink. Reimu’s face ignited.

“Y-Y-You, you... you can’t just—“

“You don’t like it?” Marisa teased, stroking the side of her face gently with one hand.

Reimu was too flustered to answer properly, her words dying in her throat as Marisa gradually brought her lips dangerously close to her own once more. “I-I...”

“Are you two having a good time?”

Reimu scrambled backwards under the kotatsu, wriggling on the floor like a spider as she shoved her way past Marisa and out into the open. Pushing herself up with her elbows, the expression on her face could kill—and how she wished she could kill the smug woman floating above her head.

“Get the hell out of my shrine!” she shouted, furious.

“My, my,” Yukari teased, “it seems I’ve interrupted something. A lovers’ tryst, perhaps?”

“Perhaps my ass,” Reimu growled.

“Hey, Yukari,” Marisa called with a wave, rolling over on her stomach and relishing the newly-empty kotatsu’s extra space.

Yukari wiggled her fingers in a half-hearted wave. “Good to see you, little magician.”

Reimu narrowed her eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Yukari giggled. “I can’t just stop by and say hello?”

“Every time you stop by, trouble follows,” Reimu hissed. “And you’re not the kind for casual visits, anyway.”

“So perceptive,” she murmured, resting her face in her hands as she poked her torso out of the black expanse behind her, a dimensional pocket seemingly unzipped in Reimu’s living room. It didn’t take long for the new tiny shrine on the nightstand to catch her eye.

“Oh, a new deity to worship?” she asked with a knowing grin that never failed to tick Reimu off.

“It’s a rock,” Marisa called, still content to roll around under the kotatsu’s warmth.

“A rock?” Yukari asked.

Marisa pinched the newspaper between her fingers, lifting it up and promptly dropping it to the floor. “Catch.”

As if on cue, another smaller gap-void opened beneath the paper as it fell, swallowing it whole. A matching gap appeared above Yukari’s head, and the paper fell elegantly into one outstretched hand.

Reimu frowned. She hated when Yukari showed off.

“Heavenly rock companions,” Yukari muttered to herself, skimming the front pages.

“They’re all the rage across Gensokyo right now. Tenshi brought them down from heaven, and the kappas helped her distribute them,” Marisa explained, rolling herself upside-down and deflating against the tatami mat below.

“You mean _sell_ them,” Reimu corrected.

Marisa shrugged. “Sell, distribute, they’re the exact same thing to me.”

“Because you don’t pay for anything anyway,” Reimu muttered under her breath.

Yukari’s lips curled upwards into a grin. “Interesting. The celestial working hand-in-hand with the kappas. But Reimu,” she asked, “what does the celestial get out of the deal?”

Reimu rolled her eyes. “Why should I care? The weather’s nice out. I doubt she’s up to anything.”

“Can you be so sure?” Yukari teased.

Reimu began to bristle again. “You try to make me think everything is an incident. I’m not falling for it today. They’re just rocks. Harmless, well-intentioned rocks that make the kappas lots of money. Besides, Tenshi got what she wanted—front page coverage.”

Marisa nodded in agreement. “She’s been on a bit of an ego streak lately. Whatever gets Heaven a bit of credit.”

Yukari’s mischievous smile never relented. “If you’re so sure. Regardless, I wish the happy couple the best of luck in their endeavors. Maybe I’ll get one myself.”

“Who’s a couple?” Reimu growled.

“Get one fast,” Marisa interrupted instead. “They’re selling like hotcakes. They’re gonna run out.”

Yukari waved, winking tauntingly at Reimu. “I’ll drop by again, of course.”

“Get out,” Reimu repeated, another headache already pushing at the back of her eyes.

Yukari, to her credit, obliged, sealing the gap in space behind her like a curtain as she disappeared, leaving only empty air full of Reimu’s impatience in the living room instead.

“Tenshi wouldn’t do anything stupid. She’s learned from causing an incident already,” Reimu muttered to herself.

“Maybe she’s trying to make up for it,” Marisa offered, still nestled under the kotatsu with no intention of moving anytime soon. “The rocks are probably her way of making amends with Gensokyo for messing with the weather.”

“If she’s up to anything, I’ll find out sooner or later.”

Marisa grinned. “I know you will. I have the utmost faith in you.”

Reimu returned her smile in earnest, already halfway back to the kotatsu to resume cuddling before a knock at the front door made her snap.

“Gods, what now?” she shouted, stomping back to the door and flinging it open aggressively. “Who the _hell—_ "

“It’s me,” a refined voice answered. “Pleasure to see you again.”

Marisa peered out of the kotatsu once more, waving again with significantly less energy. “We’re getting lots of visitors today.”

“ _Sakuya,_ ” Reimu began, struggling to suppress the rising aggravation in her voice, “how can I help you?”

Sakuya bowed gracefully, her braids bouncing as she lowered her head. “I’ve come to extend an invitation on behalf of Milady.”

Reimu raised an eyebrow. “An invitation?”

Sakuya straightened up. “Milady requests a playdate.”

This time, Marisa made the effort to actually wiggle out from under the kotatsu, propping herself up on her elbows. “A playdate? With us?”

Sakuya smiled, turning her focus towards the tiny shrine on the nightstand. “With the rocks.”

Reimu blinked. Gensokyo was losing its mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of these chapters are gonna be shorter than others, heads up


	3. Between a Rock and a Hard Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A playdate is a playdate, no matter how weird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just gonna start slapping shit here once a week-ish

Every trip to the Scarlet Devil Mansion provided Reimu with a significant amount of undue stress, both from rather annoying memories and from the sheer gaudiness of the Victorian environment. The flight with Marisa had saved her the trouble of walking, but nothing could spare her the irritation of social interaction with youkai. Even so, she knew better than to turn down a direct request from someone as sly as Remilia.

Speak of the devil, Remilia, eclipsed by the shadow of a parasol above her head, was seemingly anticipating their arrival at the front garden’s table, with Sakuya on standby as her designated parasol-holder. Reimu was somewhat impressed with how quickly she managed to get back to the mansion after her visit, but she knew better than to question it.

Remilia waved to the duo as they dismounted Marisa’s broom, touching down on the brick pathway. “Welcome, welcome. Thank you for accepting my invitation.”

Marisa proudly presented their rock in both hands, which had been resting snugly in her pocket during the ride and was now sufficiently warm to the touch. “We came to socialize.”

Remilia’s eyes sparkled. “Oh ho, it seems you’ve been taking good care of your little one. I’m truly happy.”

Marisa looked around, cocking her head. “Where’s yours?”

“Sakuya,” Remilia commanded.

“Yes, milady,” Sakuya answered, motioning with a wave towards the gate of the mansion.

“Coming, coming!” A chipper voice called, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps. Wheels creaked against the bricks, and a particular gate guard came into view, pushing what appeared to be a cart at high speeds.

“Please tell me that isn’t what I think it is,” Reimu groaned.

Marisa elbowed her. “Don’t talk about Meiling like that.”

“You idiot, I’m talking about the cart.”

By then, Meiling had caught up to the group, doubled over and catching her breath as the cart rolled to a halt. Upon closer inspection, Reimu’s hunch was proven correct—inside, nestled under shaded mesh and resting atop a satin pillow rested a tiny, familiar-looking rock.

“You got it a damn _stroller?"_ she moaned, exasperated. This was getting ridiculous.

“Any resident of the Scarlet Devil Mansion must ride in style,” Remilia answered with a grin, ignoring Meiling’s exhausted panting.

“Where’s Patchy?” Marisa asked. Reimu pouted. She wasn’t too fond of Marisa’s closeness to Patchouli.

“Why does it matter?” she muttered under her breath.

“Miss Patchouli is busy with her studies in the library. She declined to attend our playdate today,” Sakuya answered firmly.

Marisa gently lowered her rock down onto the tablecloth, sliding down into one of the elegant metal seats as well. “What exactly does a playdate consist of?”

Sakuya swiftly unzipped the mesh covering of the stroller with one hand, cradling the pillow in the crook of her arm as she tenderly set the entire thing down on the table, rock and all—somehow while never letting go of the parasol.

“Socialization,” Remilia answered. “Getting acquainted with one another. It will help their development, and I hope that we can build a mutual partnership between them.”

“They’re _rocks,_ Remilia,” Reimu huffed.

Remilia only grinned, tangling her fingers together and resting her chin on her hands. “I prefer to think of them as minerals.”

Marisa stretched back in her chair, stretching dramatically as Reimu took the seat beside her. “What’s your rock’s name?”

Remilia fluffed the pillow, lifting the rock from its fluffy confines out into the parasol’s shade. Reimu narrowed her eyes with a sigh. Upon closer inspection, the rock even had a pink bonnet, tied with a tiny white sash around the base. She gagged—they _matched._

“I would like to introduce you to Tepes, our newest addition to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I hope that you will treat him well.”

“This is Fuji,” Marisa proclaimed with all the zest of a proud parent. “Nice to meet you, Tepes!”

Reimu rolled her eyes—something she was getting very good at as of late. At least the name was fitting.

“Where’s Flandre?” she asked. “Not _misty_ enough outside for her?”

Remilia ignored the twinge of bitterness in Reimu’s voice, smiling instead. “Flandre will not be joining us today. She has been relegated to aid Patchouli in her research.”

“You can just say she’s grounded,” Marisa said.

Remilia’s lips twitched upwards just slightly, but her smile remained pleasant in nature. “She must learn not to harm our new guests.”

Meiling, having caught her breath, leaned in close to Reimu and Marisa. “She tried to eat the rock,” she whispered.

“Meiling,” Remilia interrupted, “could you please fetch us some refreshments? We must be gracious to our guests.”

Meiling saluted hurriedly. “Y-Yes, of course, milady!” she obliged, jogging towards the mansion’s front gates as quickly as she could without tripping.

Marisa cleared her throat. “Soooo...what do we do now?”

“Be still,” Remilia shushed. “Our little ones are communicating.”

Reimu snorted. “You can’t be serious.”

Marisa, conversely, lowered her face to the level of little Fuji, eye-to-eye with Remilia’s rock and listening carefully to the silence between them.

“Am I supposed to be hearing something?” she asked. “I don’t think they’re saying anything.”

“Because they’re rocks,” Reimu hissed.

Remilia never let up her smile. “Minerals.”

“The little ones communicate on a frequency beyond our ears,” Sakuya explained. “The voices of Heaven are beyond us. Rest assured that they are becoming well acquainted.”

Reimu crossed her arms, utterly baffled. “Who the hell told you that?”

“Tenshi,” both Sakuya and Marisa answered at the same time.

At Reimu’s glaring, Marisa chuckled nervously. “I mean, I kinda figured she would say something like that.”

Reimu scoffed. Whatever sells.

“Reimu,” Remilia spoke firmly, her tone suddenly serious. “If you don’t believe in your little one, who will?”

Reimu blinked. “What?”

“Think of it this way,” she offered, gently stroking her rock with one slender finger. “These little ones are blessings from the heavens. It takes love to nurture them, to raise them into talismans that bring good fortune into your life.”

Reimu raised an eyebrow.

Remilia leaned forward, her elbows propped up against the table. “They might bless you in ways you don’t quite realize.”

Reimu blinked. If that wasn’t cryptic, nothing was.

“I’m back, milady!” Meiling called, sprinting back down the brick pathway and pushing yet another cart, draped with a large black bolt of cloth. Reimu and Marisa exchanged a quick glance. It was almost a miracle that its contents hadn’t gone absolutely flying from the speed.

The cart skidded to a stop in front of the table, and Meiling was yet again completely out of breath, doubled over with her hands on her knees as she panted. “I...I’m here...milady!”

Remilia nodded, satisfied. “Sakuya, switch with Meiling,” she ordered.

“Yes, milady. Meiling,” she called, pointing to the handle of the parasol in her hand.

“Right...of course...milady,” she panted laboriously, shuffling her weary feet over to Remilia’s side. With great exasperation, she assumed her new role of parasol stand—although, to her pleasure, this one did not involve moving.

Sakuya swiftly tore the cloth covering from the cart in an elegant motion that befitted the head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, each move she made while unpacking the cart measured and graceful in equal measure. Before Reimu could blink, the table was smattered with delicate floral teacups and plates, with porcelain tones that sparkled under the sunlight.

Marisa whistled. “Fancy.”

“What is a playdate without tea?” Remilia asked, grinning once again as she lifted a teacup high in one hand. With her pinky out in an extravagant gesture that made Reimu stifle a laugh, she did not so much as flinch as Sakuya unleashed a waterfall of steaming tea from on high, carefully tilting a beautifully-crafted pot as she measured the perfect height and posture with which to pour tea for her mistress.

Marisa smirked. “Be honest, how much of that was you stopping time?”

Sakuya only returned her smile, unshaken as she continued to pour tea in each of the other cups at her table. “None, of course. I’m simply fast enough to properly service milady as needed.”

Reimu scoffed. Show-off, she thought as she sipped her tea slowly.

Marisa, ever-subject to distraction, was already satisfied with such an answer, her attention turned to the newly-served platters of cucumber sandwiches and flakey butter cookies. “Yesss,” she hissed excitedly, pumping her fist.

Reimu couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Marisa having fun stuffing her face. Out of the corner of her eye, Remilia’s pointed smirking at her expression made her face fall ever slightly.

Rather than comment as their eyes met, Remilia simply raised an eyebrow, communicating wordlessly with unspoken words that still confused Reimu.

Once again, Reimu’s thoughts turned to her words from before. Whatever blessings these rocks supposedly held was no skin off her nose. Thus far, it seemed to be another gimmick by the kappas, with the sole addition of an extra mischievous celestial hungry for praise this time. It certainly didn’t smell like an incident, nor did it look like one. They were, quite literally, just rocks. However, the look in Remilia’s eyes portrayed something deeper, inexplicable and complex that felt like a riddle waiting to be solved.

Reimu sighed. She hated when youkai kept her guessing. Rather than push her tired brain to solve a non-existent mystery, she found refuge in a sandwich instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have no idea how long I'm gonna make this cesspool of a fic but Happy Tuesday


	4. Rock and Roll All Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the advent of a rock festival, Reimu and Marisa take a calming night on the town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something something Rock Concert jokes

Although Reimu had counted on the rock fad being just that--a fad--Gensokyo absolutely could not get enough. The craze never slowed—in fact, it seemed to pick up, with a heavenly rock in every household, revered with the adoration of a newborn child or an honored guest. The human village found itself host to the majority of the euphoria, but each and every crevice of Gensokyo had been touched in some way by the rock madness. Even the Yama, who had zero tolerance for nonsense, had taken to carrying her own heavenly rock in a sling attached to her waist. “To aid in punishing sinners,” she’d claimed.

Reimu had expected to be losing her mind by now, her entire life occupied by rocks, rocks, rocks, the kappas scurrying off with their hard-earned money and Tenshi even making guest appearances throughout Gensokyo, peddling the heavenly blessings in each rock like a snake oil salesman. However, much to her surprise, she couldn’t bring herself to hate little Fuji, no matter how hard she tried. As much as she logically loathed the idea of becoming emotionally attached to a rock, it was deeper than that in a way she struggled to understand.

Marisa, bless her heart, had never stopped smiling, content to fuss over their rock forever. Each day, she flew over to the Hakurei Shrine at noon, eagerly dusting Fuji’s tiny shrine and replacing the wilting offerings with fresh ones. She’d taken to talking to the rock, sitting cross-legged in front of the wooden shrine for hours as she recalled the details of incidents past—some of which made Reimu cringe to remember. Regardless, Marisa showered the rock with affection each day, devoted to something non-destructive for once.

“And then she went to the moon, and there was a fairy. A _fairy!_ On the _moon!_ Can you believe it? And get this, she was a fairy from _Hell._ Have you ever heard of a Hell fairy before? Me either! So Reimu and I were so sure we were gonna win, she looked ridiculous, but then we got creamed—"

“Okay, not that story, please,” Reimu pleaded. “Pick a different one.”

Marisa scratched her head, stretching her legs after sitting in the same position for so long. “But it has a happy ending.”

“It was traumatic,” Reimu replied with a shudder.

“I’m running out of incidents to talk about. Why don’t we make a new one?” she teased.

The death glare Reimu shot her was enough to shut her up instantly.

Marisa raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, it was a joke.”

Reimu, currently in the middle of blessing talismans atop the kotatsu, was having trouble concentrating on anything spiritual with Marisa rattling on about anything and everything to the rock. She side-eyed her pitiful pile of blessed talismans compared to the seemingly-towering pile of un-blessed ones. This was getting nowhere.

“Make something up. Tell it a story. Something that doesn’t bring up things I’d rather forget.”

“Alright, here’s one for you, Fuji,” she spoke excitedly, leaning forward towards the little shrine. “Let me tell you all about my lovely Reimu.”

“No,” Reimu deadpanned.

“Yes, my beautiful, lovely, extravagant, incredible Reimu.”

“No.”

“Who I love very very much.”

“No.”

“With all my heart.”

“No you don’t.”

“And she loves me _tooooo,”_ Marisa sing-songed, casting her eyes back at Reimu.

Reimu turned her head, struggling to suppress a blush she felt rising to her cheeks. “Do not.”

“Well, my beautiful Reimu wears these beautiful bows in her hair,” she teased, whipping an overly-familiar length of frilled red ribbon from her apron pocket. “And they’re all beautifully springy and beautifully bouncy in her beautiful hair.”

Reimu’s eyes went wide. “Hey, that’s mine!”

“And they’re so _cuuute,_ and so _loooovely,”_ Marisa continued, ignoring Reimu’s cries.

Reimu scrambled out from under the kotatsu, knocking over her talisman pile in the process. “Give it back!”

“And every time I hold her ribbon, I think of her in my heart!”

Reimu lunged at Marisa, skidding across the tatami floor and almost plowing straight into the wall, her socks catching the straw. “Marisa, I swear to every god that I can—“

“And I hold it close to me at night, and I smell it, and it smells just like her!” Marisa laughed, leaping up from the floor and darting just out of reach of the rampaging shrine maiden.

“Marisa!” Reimu growled.

“She smells delicious, like rice and alcohol! Because it’s all that she eats, you know!”

_“Marisa!”_ Reimu growled again, her aggravation peaking as she stumbled around the room, repeatedly lunging at the magician again and again. “Give it here, right now!”

Marisa danced about playfully, evading each and every grasp as she continued her relentless teasing. “And she never goes outside, no wonder her skin is so pale! Look at her cheeks!”

Reimu bristled, rushing to tackle Marisa—and missing yet again. Adding insult to injury, Marisa quickly slid down beside her, pecking her cheek affectionately.

“Hey, she lit right up! Maybe she’s sunburned already!” she jeered, laughing heartily as Reimu pushed herself up off the mat, her face flushed a bright red.

“You!” she cried, jumping forward with all her might. This time, she didn’t miss, wrapping her arms tightly around Marisa’s waist as she dragged her to the ground forcibly. Marisa’s laughing never ceased as she toppled to the floor, her head landing softly against her hat.

“Look how much she _loooves_ me,” Marisa joked, bringing her hands up to Reimu’s cheeks. Reimu bit down hard on her hand, and she yelped.

“Demon,” the shrine maiden growled.

Marisa was practically dying of laughter. “Eww, did you just _bite_ me? What are you, a wild animal?”

Reimu wiggled on top of Marisa, extending her palm face-up in front of her. “Give it. _Now.”_

“Fine, fine,” Marisa relented, bringing the ribbon close to Reimu’s hand. Just as she was about to let go, however, she snatched it up and away.

Reimu growled as she clasped at empty air. _“Why, you—”_

Marisa, instead, tugged swiftly at the bow currently in her hair, watching as long, brown ropes of silky hair fluttered down in clumps over Reimu’s eyes. Before Reimu could object, Marisa’s fingers sprang up into the shrine maiden’s hair, pulling and pushing as she weaved the ribbon in her hand tightly into its new home.

Reimu blushed at the tender motion, stunned into silence and still as a statue as Marisa worked. She shuddered under the sensation of Marisa moving her fingers through her hair, and even more so when Marisa caught sight of her stressed expression, slowing her fingers further. Marisa grinned triumphantly when Reimu closed her eyes, content to let Marisa play with her hair as long as she liked.

Marisa made quick work of the ribbon, flicking it with her fingers for good measure as she pulled it tight. “Perfecto.”

Reimu’s eyes fluttered open, her cheeks dusted red as she looked down at Marisa innocently. Marisa gulped. She was too cute.

“Pretty,” she breathed, sliding two fingers under Reimu’s chin. For once, when she pulled Reimu towards her, the girl didn’t resist, allowing Marisa to press her lips against Reimu’s own without protest. Reimu floated high above the clouds, soaring from Marisa’s affection and the soft touch of Marisa against her skin. When Marisa finally pulled away, her lips ached, lonely and cold.

“Are you free tonight?” Marisa murmured, stroking Reimu’s hair with her fingers.

Reimu shivered, her mouth dry. “Y-Yes.”

Marisa grinned. “Do you wanna go with me to a rock festival?”

Reimu promptly pushed herself off Marisa, rolling away across the tatami mat as she left a mischievous smile in her wake. “Gods, read the room a bit!” she snapped, fuming.

Marisa laughed, rolling on her side to pull a crumpled piece of paper out of her apron pocket. “Moriya Shrine is holding a celebratory festival for the Heaven rocks with games and festivities and fun stuff. It starts at sundown. Kept forgetting to ask if you wanted to go with me.”

Reimu scowled. “As if to rub salt in my wound, it’s at Moriya Shrine.”

Marisa pouted. “Please? It’s a _daaaate.”_

Reimu rolled her eyes, stifling the creeping warmth of a blush against her cheeks at the mention of a date with Marisa. “Do I have to get dressed up?”

“Nahh, it’s informal. Normal Reimu clothes, even if a yukata would be cute.”

Reimu had a bit too much fun imagining Marisa in a yukata.

—-

True to her word, the festival was informal, bustling with youkai ambling about and flying by, where applicable. The waterfall of youkai mountain roared in the distance, and the warm summer breeze felt good against Reimu’s skin. Stalls lined either side of the path to the shrine, overflowing with creative rock-themed wares for sale and delicious food sizzling and steaming on massive grills. Upbeat and lively music crowned the scene, although Reimu was having trouble identifying its origin. With Marisa’s prompting, a quick look up answered her question: as always, the Prismrivers were ever present as the life of the party.

“Come check this out, little guy,” Marisa cooed, digging Fuji out from his pillowy abode inside her new sling bag. “It’s a party just for you.”

“It can’t see. It doesn’t have eyes,” Reimu chided.

“It has a soul that can sense the mood!”

“It’s a rock.”

“It’s _our_ rock,” she reminded, pecking Reimu on the cheek again.

Reimu fumed, although whether her red tint was due to anger or blushing was debatable. “We are in _public.”_

“You think anyone cares? Everyone’s too wrapped up in the fun. We should have fun, too!”

Before Reimu could protest, Marisa already had her free hand around Reimu’s own, tangling their fingers together as she pulled her forward into the crowd. She stumbled trying to keep up, but the happy expression on Marisa’s face was well-worth the exasperation.

“Where are we even going?” she cried.

“Where do you want to go first? The kappa are selling hair accessories for the rocks over there—“

“They don’t have hair!”

“—and those two girls from the bookstore are selling handwritten bedtime stories—“

“They don’t have ears to listen!”

“And the Myouren Temple folk have their own stand selling specialty rock food! They even have the rock candy!”

“They don’t have mouths!” Reimu cried, but the smile on her face betrayed her aggravation. Running breathlessly through the throngs of festival-goers with Marisa was exhilarating and even romantic, and her heart jumped at the idea of a date—even if she didn’t want it to.

For the next several hours, Marisa stuffed Reimu’s mouth with every delicacy she could find, forced her hand in every silly carnival game she could afford, and even convinced her to help pick out a new handkerchief for Fuji’s shrine—they decided on a rippling aqua blue swatch with elaborate depictions of great waves rolling and crashing in the sea. She smiled all the way through, her heart soaring at spending time with Marisa, and for the first time in a while, she genuinely had fun.

With Marisa’s hand clasped tightly in her own, the time flew by, sunset settling upon the two girls with the advent of the twinkling stars in the sky. The moon crested overhead, and a crackling sound caught Reimu’s attention.

“A bonfire!” Marisa exclaimed, eyes sparkling at the sight of a tall, square stack of logs up in flames. In front of it, a familiar faceless face took a raised stage, wisps of pink hair peeking out from behind a Noh mask.

“Ladies and gentleladies, thank you all for coming to Moriya Shrine’s First Annual Heavenly Rock Festival!” a chipper voice cried. The crowd roared, and Reimu groaned.

“She would give it a long name like that, wouldn’t she?”

The Moriya shrine maiden was met with cheers and hollers from the exuberant crowd, and she waved to the audience with fervor as she stepped out from behind the silent Noh dancer. “The night might be upon us, but the party won’t stop any time soon! Please feel free to dance to your heart’s content, and enjoy the lovely entertainment! Let’s show our little ones a wonderful time!”

Kokoro took her cue, swaying and twirling in time with pounding taiko drums as Sanae dismounted the stage, dropping carefully to the ground several feet below. Festive music made for dancing filled the air, and a colorful cast of floating musicians drifted by above.

If Reimu squinted, she could count the tsukumogamis alongside the Prismrivers, with even some of the forest youkai to boot, singing along cheerfully. She raised an eyebrow at the all-star cast.

“You really outdid yourself on this one, Sanae,” Marisa praised. “You got all these performers in one place?”

Sanae beamed, making way for the shuffling crowd as it gradually settled into a ring of dancers circling the flaming log pillar. “Lady Kanako helped! And, of course, the kappas were more than happy to oblige as well.”

“And a few other friendly faces,” a malicious voice came behind Reimu. She jumped as a hand tapped her shoulder, scrambling out of its reach.

“Gods, don’t touch me!”

“Sake?” Mamizou offered, extending a flask and cup politely.

“Go away,” Reimu whined, brushing youkai germs off her shoulder.

“Seems like everyone went all in putting this together,” Marisa continued, ignoring Reimu’s unsanitary plight. “This whole rock thing is really bringing Gensokyo together.”

“I like it. It’s interesting to see such different groups cooperating in harmony,” Mamizou said with a smile. “Perhaps this is an incident that was sorely needed, after all.”

“Quit calling it that,” Reimu growled. “It makes me anxious.”

Mamizou giggled, taking a deep pull from her pipe and exhaling harshly, a plume of thick gray smoke wrapping around her body. As it cleared, her tail twitched, and a familiar bow sat atop a familiar hairstyle.

“Eww, stop it!” Reimu cried.

“But there’s an incident to _resooolve,”_ she teased, wiggling her fingers playfully. “Can’t let Tenshi have her way, of course! It’s a shrine maiden’s job to clean up around here!”

Reimu wasn’t playing ball. With a flick of her wrist, she drew a charged talisman from her dress pocket.

“Whoa, Reimu, put that away! She’s kidding, she’s kidding!” Marisa reassured, flailing her arms and stepping between her and Mamizou. Sanae jumped backwards, equally as disturbed, but Mamizou only laughed, doffing the shrine maiden’s look with a twitch of her tail and a deflating puff of smoke.

“I can tell when I’m not wanted. Enjoy your night, you two!” she teased, snickering as she took a heavy swig from her flask. Reimu shuddered, eager to watch her leave.

“She’s even worse when she’s drunk,” she muttered, her voice wavering.

“That reminds me, where is Tenshi, anyway? She’s the one that started all this,” Marisa asked, resting her hand on her cheek.

Sanae tilted her head. “She was supposed to do a speech, but she’s surprisingly late.”

“She won’t be late. She’s just dramatic,” Reimu assured. “Wait for something stupid to happen. She’ll be here.”

As if on cue, a boom rattled the ground, and brief panic among the crowd was quickly replaced with awe as everyone cast their eyes skyward. The sky rippled with blue lightning, crackling amongst the dark clouds of night, offering a picturesque backdrop to the bonfire that was far more gorgeous than terrifying.

“Told you.”

The music softened, but never faded, adding a dramatic atmosphere to the scene. Kokoro, of course, never stopped dancing—though whether this was intentional remained to be seen. From down through the clouds, two massive floating boulders descended, bound tightly in splendid ivory prayer ropes.

“Citizens of Gensokyo!” a too-loud voice boomed.

Reimu groaned. This might take awhile.

“Welcome, once again, to the Moriya Shrine’s rock festival thing! I hope you’re all having a splendid time!” Tenshi cried, her hands raised high and her smile endless.

Sanae frowned. “Rock festival...thing?”

“I come bearing the blessings of Heaven with me! The celestials send their regards to your little ones, imbued with power and fortune unlike that of this earth! Tonight, I bring to you further blessings, gracing your presence with a celestial rain of good fortune!”

With a snap of her fingers, a line of sizable rocks popped into existence, arranged in neat single-file rows and divided evenly.

A cloud of pink frills leapt from the second boulder, whispering loudly in Tenshi’s ear. If Reimu squinted, she could lip-read. “My Lady, please do not throw the rocks,” Iku begged.

Tenshi groaned disdainfully, each rock popping into dust in turn. The spectacle, much to her aggravation, elicited a few claps and cheers from the crowd.

“Instead, I will bless your little ones with good fortune myself!” she cried, quickly bouncing back.

“Oh boy,” Marisa murmured.

From her side, Tenshi swiftly drew her rainbow sword, thrusting its tip high into the air above her head. With a war cry, the sword glistened, radiating arcs and auroras of light that stood radiant against the backdrop of the night sky. Glistening waves of pulsing pastels ripples among the clouds, and the crowd gasped in delight.

“Flashy,” Reimu muttered, rolling her eyes. She’d seen danmaku far brighter, unfortunately.

“With this gesture of good will from Heaven, your heavenly rocks will now flourish and grant your blessings tenfold! Be prepared to reap the fruits of your labor, and send your praises high!” Tenshi cried, brandishing her sword dramatically.

“Aaaand there it is,” Marisa deadpanned.

Reimu pinched the bridge of her nose. “The truth cometh out.”

Sanae shrugged. “I guess she really did just want the praise and worship after all.”

“She’s an egomaniac. There’s nothing new there,” Reimu spat, watching as Tenshi posed valiantly atop her boulder.

“I implore of you all, continue your festivities! May the night be long and merry!” she called, finally dropping to sit on the boulder, crossing her legs dramatically. Iku bowed, adopting a more demure pose as she sat down herself, knelt down to sit on her heels with her hands in her lap. The aurora’s lights continued to sway and ripple, and the festive atmosphere kicked back into full swing, music and merriment abound.

Reimu snorted. “At least now I can tell Yukari for sure that this isn’t an incident. Feels good not to worry.”

“Let’s not worry about anything,” Marisa said with a grin, grabbing Reimu’s hand.

“What are you—eep!” Reimu yelped as Marisa pulled her close, one hand around her waist as she swayed back and forth.

“Dancing tiiime,” Marisa sing-songed, dragging Reimu along into a vibrant reel. Sanae smiled, clapping along as the two girls spun and twirled about the bonfire, slowly dissipating into the throngs of dancers in the crowd around them.

Reimu spat hair out of her mouth, shaking her head to ward off stray strands that had plagued her after being jerked so suddenly. When she lifted her head, the shimmering aurora met her eyes once more, draped around Marisa’s head like a curtain. Moonbeams bounced off of her blonde hair, shining under the stars and flickering firelight. In that moment, she was ethereal.

Marisa blushed under the weight of Reimu’s dazed staring. “W-What?”

Reimu only smiled, clinging closer to her dance partner as they spun. “Nothing.”

Marisa wasn’t satisfied with that answer. Instead, she flicked two fingers below Reimu’s chin, raising her lips to meet her own.

Reimu didn’t need fireworks overhead. She had plenty in her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're lesbians, Harold

**Author's Note:**

> My main New Year's resolution is to actually write more and finish half the shit I have piled up because I've had this dumbass idea for like a year


End file.
